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The Goujian Sword
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The Goujian Sword: A Testament to Ancient Chinese Craftsmanship
The Goujian sword, named after its supposed owner, King Goujian of Yue, is a remarkable artifact from ancient China. This sword is renowned for its unusual sharpness, intricate design, and resistance to tarnish rarely seen in artifacts of similar age.To get more news about goujian sword, you can visit shine news official website.Discovery and Identification
The sword was discovered in 1965 in an ancient tomb in Hubei during an archaeological survey along the second main aqueduct of the Zhang River Reservoir1. More than 2,000 artifacts were recovered from the sites, including this ornate bronze sword1. The sword was found sheathed in a wooden scabbard finished in black lacquer1. Despite the tomb being soaked in underground water for over 2,000 years, unsheathing the sword revealed an untarnished blade.On one side of the blade, two columns of text are visible. Eight characters are written in an ancient script, now known as Bird-worm seal script1. Initial analysis of the text deciphered six of the characters, “King of Yue” (越王) and “made this sword for [his] personal use” (自作用劍). The remaining two characters were assumed to be the name of the particular King of Yue1. After more than two months, experts started to form a consensus that the original owner of the sword was Goujian.
Construction and Design
The sword of Goujian is 55.6 centimetres (21.9 in) in length, including an 8.4 centimetres (3.3 in) hilt1. The blade is made primarily of copper, but the edges have a higher tin content, making them harder and able to keep a sharper edge2. Both sides of the blade are decorated with a repeating rhombi pattern. The guard is inlaid with blue crystals and turquoise2.Legacy
The Goujian sword is a testament to the advanced metallurgical skills and craftsmanship of ancient China. Its discovery has provided valuable insights into the Spring and Autumn period (771 to 476 BCE), a time marked by significant cultural and technological advancements3. Today, it is housed in the Hubei Provincial Museum1, serving as a symbol of China’s rich history and enduring legacy.